Leading by Example: California Mom Teaches Daughters the Importance of Giving Back

May 24, 2017 5:00 PM ET

Leading by Example: California Mom Teaches Daughters the Importance of Giving B…

Plenty of little girls aspire to be like Disney princesses – beautiful, magical and strong.

Laura Giron’s daughters, ages 10 and 11, have been taught since toddlerhood that real magic and beauty comes from giving time and compassion to people in need through volunteer service.

Laura has worked for The Walt Disney Company in Burbank, California, for 19 years, and quickly embraced the company’s encouragement of volunteerism during off hours – involving her two daughters from the time they were tots.

“I’ve been pretty much volunteering since I started at Disney,” said Laura. “When my girls came along, it was super important for me to show them that spirit as well.”

When Laura’s oldest daughter, Abby, was only 6 months old, she brought her to a Habitat for Humanity groundbreaking event – wearing a Disney VoluntEARS onesie. The baby was photographed clasping the ceremonial shovel.

“It was really important for me after that to find volunteer opportunities to include my children,” Laura shared. By age 3 or 4, Abby and her younger sister, Abree, were regularly pitching in at beach clean-ups and other projects. The girls proved such hard workers that today they’re often given leadership roles, helping to guide other kids during volunteer events.

Read the full story on the Points of Light blog.